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Federal coal royalty cuts could cost Wyoming

By Jonathan P. Thompson

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This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Western Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

COAL

  • A Wyoming economist says the state could lose up to $50 million annually as a result of federal coal royalty reductions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but a portion of the losses may be offset by increased economic activity. (Wyoming Public Radio)

OIL & GAS

  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes legislation that would streamline new oil and gas well permitting and require companies to plug and reclaim some existing wells. (Politico)

  • Washington state crews work to contain about 3,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel that spilled into a creek and salmon habitat following a tanker truck crash. (Associated Press)

  • A World Bank report finds gas flaring volumes increased in the Permian Basin last year, but did so more slowly than oil production. (E&E News, news release)

  • Advocates file an emergency appeal seeking to overturn the U.S. Forest Service’s approval of a natural gas pipeline from Montpelier, Idaho, to Afton, Wyoming, saying it will fragment imperiled sage grouse habitat. (Wildlife News)

CLEAN ENERGY

  • Western Democrats, advocates, and the industry push back on the Trump administration’s decision to heighten reviews for proposed solar and wind projects on federal land, saying it could lead to a clean energy ​“shadow ban.” (E&E News)

  • A Nevada solar company says Western residents are rushing to install rooftop arrays before federal clean energy tax credits expire at the end of this year. (Las Vegas Sun)

BIOFUELS

  • California lawmakers advance legislation that would allow gasoline to contain up to 15% ethanol as part of an effort to tackle increasing fuel prices. (E&E News)

  • New Mexico awards Navitas Global $800,000 to help it expand its ethanol production operations into a defunct facility in Portales. (news release)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

  • EV sales declined in Colorado during the first half of this year, but observers expect them to rebound before state and federal incentives expire. (Big Pivots)

GRID

  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom backs legislation that would create a Western transmission organization and day-ahead power market led by the state’s grid operator. (E&E News)

  • Xcel Energy proposes adding 5,168 MW of generating and storage capacity to its Texas and New Mexico grids to meet growing demand from the oil and gas sector and electrification. (Amarillo Globe News)

UTILITIES

  • Alaska regulators approve Chugach Electric Association’s proposed rate hike after the unusually warm winter dampened electricity sales and battered the cooperative’s budget. (Northern Journal)

DATA CENTERS

  • Some Tucson officials push back on a proposed data center complex after documents reveal it would consume more electricity than any other TEP customer and more water than four golf courses. (AZ Mirror)

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